5

Funded

16

Minimum

180

Target

Two performance are using an an ancient loom to weave a protective faraday material with metal treads. While weaving they are having conversations with the audience on possible technologies in 2047 and how it will affect the world and humans living then.

Full description of the concept

How to tell the future by weaving on an ancient loom

The work will be a performance that consist of weaving, one of the oldest human techniques, and story telling about possible future technics that may exist in the year 2047 and how it will change the planet. Just imagine how much the world has changed by technology since the firs cloths were woven, we will use the past to try to look in tho the future.

In the performance we will use a reproduction of a ancient warp weighted loom and weave with metallic tread mixed in the yarn. We use faraday techniques to make a material shell that can be used to escape electronic radiation with by using ancient techniques of hand weaving. The material created is ment to be used for making suits that form a wearable hideaway from electricity, radiation and digital devices for future humans. By year 2047 hyper sensitivity against electrical devises might have developed as an epedemia as more and more of the world will consist of machines. The suits can be used as a safezone from a stressful hyper reality and surveillance of a future society and give space for deep thinking and a tool to regain spiritual concentration.

The weavers will wear shiny cloths, braided hair and have long finger nails with crystals on the tips that connect to the aesthetics of the loom. They will interact with the visitors and to try make them join in the weaving and bring them in to a discussions about what future techniques we will have in 2047. The performance will become interactive as the audience join and the conversations will shift from techno positivism to dystopic visions. The conversation is thought to be recorded and saved for the future. There will be schedule hours when the performers will use the loom. When the performers are weaving the treads of the loom will be enhanced by a microphone and spread by a speaker and create a atmospheric sound. When the performance is not on the loom it will be like an art object and the audience can look at it and listen to the conversations and loom sound from the weaving sections in headphones. The loom is a standing or hanging construction built in wood and have silicon mineral crystal as the weights for the treads. It should be lighten with a coloured light and if possible bee surrounded by organic material in the form of fresh white orchid flowers to create a room and an ambience around it.

Weaving and metal works has both played a major role in the technical development. The craft of weaving has among tecno-feminists as Saidei Plant bean seen as the first form of hyper texting and formed the knowledge basis of the coming computerised techniques. The mathematician and the world's first programmer; Ada Lovelace that wrote the algorithms behind Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine, also compared the punched card operated loom with the calculating engine designed by Charles Babbage: “We may say most aptly that the Analytical Engine weaves algebraical patterns just as the Jacquard- loom weaves flowers and leaves.” Textile work as weaving and spinning also plays an important role in folklore and fairy tales and the pattern and colors of the weaved material contained messages and magical spells. In Sweden women used to prepare their marriage by weaving the bedsets, towels and cloths for their bride coffin the dowery that they brought. This can also be seen as an act of weaving good fortune in a material with hopes of love and fortune. While weaving the material for the suits we want to gain knowledge from this old technique, think about new techniques and also aim to ingrain protective spells in the material we weave. By using one of the oldest technical tools we want to give a historical perspective on future telling and the development of the future. The future is not only the future it is also the past.In the future we will need more planet friendly techniques and hope that the discussions can rise ideas for a sustainable technological development.

About the group/Artist

Soft Light is the visual artist Rut Karin Zettergrens alter ego. Soft light makes performances and live streamed videos in IR that mixes lectures on the history of technology, surveillance online, multinationell companies with dance and drawing. Zettergren is a visual artist working in mixed medias as installations, video, performance and drawing. During the latest years she has worked with questions around how we get affected by the technique we surround us with and the history of technique from a feministic point of wive. In collaboration with other artists and the artist grope 0s+1s Collective she has investigated the military, patriarchal and postcolonial herretage of technique. She is inspired by Cyber-feminism and techno-feminist artist that tries to find alternative ways of writing history and new ways of using commercial media platforms, networks and equipment.
www.rutkarinzettergren.se www.crystalbeacon.se www.0s1s.net
Soft Lights: http://www.rutkarinzettergren.se/a/selfsurveillancesystem4dhq.html

Other participants can collaborate in different stage if they send a request. During the performance all the drone co-creator and all visitors are welcome to join in the weaving and discussion about possible future technical tools existing in 2047.

Details

Do you need electricity? Yes, the work will need one outlet and will probably need one long extension cable. We can bring a shorter power cord to split it. A long power cord is aded to the budget.

Will there be light? Yes we want to lit the loom to make it more visible in the space.

What is your audio footprint? The loom will be activated during certen hours with performances. The performances will weave and the treads will be miked up and create a ambiance sound.The weaver will talk to the audience. At other hours headphones with the sound will be used.